With increased commercial and environmental interest being placed upon the reclamation and reuse of plastics, new and better means are needed for efficiently handling and processing recycled plastics to remove paper and other contaminants.
Wash systems presently being used rely on soaps, solvents and mild agitation, and allow the contaminants to sink away from the plastic over an extended period of time. Such systems may require as long as eight to 12 hours, for example, to separate paper labels and the like from shredded plastic waste.